Governor honors three regional businesses

Two Carson City businesses and the Starbucks roasting plant in Minden were honored last week at the Governor's 21st Annual Industry Appreciation Awards in Reno for moving or expanding in Nevada.

Western Servo Design Inc. moved from the Silicon Valley to a 10,000-square-foot building in Carson City more than a year ago. The company manufactures servo amplifiers for robotics. The owners have plans to double the square footage in a year.

Vitamin Research Products was honored for adding 26,000 square feet on its Arrowhead Drive building. The expansion provided 22 more jobs to locals.

Company president Robert Watson said the company doubled its size and has formed an office in Singapore.

"We've expanded into Asia through Singapore and this will be the gateway into Asia for our product line," he said.

Thomas Pasinger, Starbucks Minden plant director, said two roasters were added to the plant in the last year, and another two will be installed this next year.

"Between 60 and 100 million pounds comes out of the plant per year," he said. "We have 174 employees now and we're adding 17 more in the next year. That takes us to where we said we'd be when we started up in 2003."

Coffee roasted in Minden is shipped everywhere in the Southwest.

Daddy Dick's blues club and restaurant is not dead, one of the new business partners said this week. It's just reborn.

"It has a new business plan and is set up to be a part of Carson City," said Marshall Brodeur, who has teamed up with Don and Sharon Slater, the couple who originally wanted to open the blues club downtown.

Brodeur said there was a shake-up with the original partnership, but he and his wife, Rebecca Brodeur, and the Slaters are working to put the business in the Sweetland Building on Carson and Proctor streets.

When the business plan was first developed, the Slaters were working with musicians Bobby Joe Holman and Floyd Sneed.

Brodeur said the new team re-worked the plan and are seeking financing.

In the yellow pages of the Verizon phone book, HobbyTown USA is listed under it's old phone number and address. In the white pages it is correct. The correct address is 3807 S. Carson St. and phone 883-5553.

"To the patient soul who has been issued the old phone number, my sincere apologies," said HobbyTown co-owner Joan Seymour.

Park Cattle Company, a real estate company with holdings in the Carson Valley and Stateline, donated $50,000 to the Carson Tahoe Cancer Center in Carson City.

The vision of the Carson Tahoe Cancer Center is to provide expert clinical nursing and medical services in a healing atmosphere to enhance quality of life.

"Without the help of loyal donors like Park Cattle Company, it would not be possible to succeed with important community projects like the new Carson Tahoe Hospital," said Pam Graber, Executive Director of the Carson-Tahoe Foundation. "Their $50,000 donation is helping bring a state-of-the-art cancer treatment facility to our area."

The Carson Tahoe Cancer Center will provide radiation oncology equipment and expertise as well as medical oncology with extensive cancer support services. It is scheduled to open in September 2006.

Mane Connection Day Spa, 2061-B California St., is hosting a free open house at 6 p.m. Nov. 21 to celebrate the arrival of their soft touch permanent cosmetic services.

In addition to permanent cosmetic demonstrations, there will be appetizers and beverages, free drawings for exclusive spa treatments, free mini-massage and spray tans, and steam capsule treatments for some guests.

- Contact reporter Becky Bosshart at bbosshart@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1212.a